Wicked became the highest-grossing musical adaptation in the US after the first eight days in theatres. Jon Murray Chu’s musical fantasy was released on November 22nd, 2024. The movie made over 214 million dollars just a week after its release. Today, the film adaptation has made $457 million, overtaking Grease, as the highest-grossing musical adaptation. The movie has been long awaited, but how does the movie starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande compare to the classic Broadway show?
Musical fans and critics had high expectations for the movie considering the new stars cast as Glinda and Elphaba. Singers Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo found out they got their “dream roles” back in December 2022 when the filming process started. Wicked’s original playwright was Winnie Holzman, and its music was composed by Stephen Schwartz, who returned to make the new adaptation possible. The original Broadway cast included famous voices like Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, who appeared surprisingly in the 2024 version. “I was shocked!” high school junior Katie Pricken mentions after seeing the movie Wicked for the first time in theaters.
SWhile some had high expectations, others worried that it would be difficult to make the new version any more iconic than the original. High schooler Andrew Gharibian spoke on his opinion of the musical revamp: “I’m pleasantly surprised their voices blended so well together.” The movie had 11 of the original Broadway songs with new twists and riffs.
The appearance defied expectations. Production designer Nathan Corwley left everyone speechless with how beautiful the sets look. The 150 million dollar budget made the jaw-dropping visuals come to life. He avoided as much CGI as possible, creating real-life sets with working, moving fountains and machines. Features include the working emerald city express train and the Shiz library display. The whimsical and dreamy look fits the story’s plot perfectly, capturing the magic of the characters and their life stories.
The costume design will go down in history. The brilliant Paul Tazewell worked on the costumes for the Broadway show as well as this new adaptation. Both times critics praised his creative decisions for the outfits designed specifically for each character. “10’ s all around” Gharibian comments on the choice of fashion.
Social media fed off of the movie’s trailers and reviews, instantly creating trends. Some controversial trends were noticed in theaters but heartwarming and positive trends went viral. One that many fans have pointed out is the sing-alonging fans in theaters. Fans have started to belt out in the middle of theatres, overwhelming the audience. New theatre etiquette includes dressing up for the movie. Some Viewers went as far as showing up to theatres painted green or wearing big pink ball gowns and crowns. A few students of Wayne Valley High School took a more subtle approach, wearing cozy pink or green outfits. Other trends took over TikTok. Fans hilariously tried recreating Erivo’s iconic wicked cry at the end of the movie.
The next part of the film will come out in November of 2025, leaving fans waiting for more. “It needs to come as soon as possible, I can’t wait a whole year,” Gharibian brings up. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo changed the game when it came to Musical adaptations. The movie has already been nominated for 11 awards, including Best Picture and Best Cinematography. The iconic Broadway musical influenced the new adaptation, and the bar has been raised for future films.
For more on the trends and styles of Wicked, see our article: https://wvsmokesignals.com/6490/new/wickeds-long-lasting-effects-on-pop-culture/
